Self-playing musical instrument.



E. G. THOMAS.

SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5. I9I2..RENEWED MAR. 9,1916.

1 1 86,050 I Patented JIIIIG 6, 1916.

|u\\n1 PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ormcn.

ELISHA GOODE-LL THOMAS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR,BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO EDWIN A. LINK, OF BING-IIAMTON, NEW

YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed March 15, 1912, Serial No. 684,068. Renewed March 9,1916. Serial No. 83,168.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELISHA GOODELL THOMAS, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at 201 East Capitol street, Washington,District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Self-Playing Musical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in self-playingmusical instruments and more particularly to a receptacle for holdingthe perforated note sheet. Heretofore in receptacles of this characterit has been necessary on account of the long length of the endless bandto employ a sheet conveying mechanism for feeding. the band and it hasbeen found that the conveylng mechanism not only causes confusion of thefolds, but wears and tears the sheet and that in case of repair to theinstrument, the mechanism has to be detached and the entire sheet has tobe rewound.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel form ofreceptacle for receiving the sheet, which is in the form of an endlessband, and convey it from the receivcles have on account of theirlocation often presented an unsightly appearance and have not onlycontained the endless tune sheet but the tune sheet rollers as well.

A further object of this invention is to provide a receptacle of thecharacter set forth that may be conveniently located within theinstrument casing and one which can be easily removed with only theendless sheet therein.

A still further object is to provide a receptacle of the characterdescribed that will be cheap to manufacture; one that will be capable ofholding a sheet containing a large number of musical pieces and one thatwill be easy on the paper, thereby preventing the paper from becomingconfused and torn.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel details ofconstruction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification in which like numerals designate like parts in all theviews: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a self-playinginstrument showing my improved receptacle attached thereto and Fig. 2 isa perspective view of my improved receptacle shown detached from theinstrument.

1 indicates the casing of a self-playing piano at one end of which islocated the tracker feed mechanism, comprising the tracker board 2 andseries of feed rolls 3. Connected to the frame 4, which supports thetracker feed mechanism, is a downward extending bracket 5 which supportsone end of the receptacle 6, the other end of which is supported by aportion of the casing 1.

The receptacle preferably of the shape shown is adapted to receive theendless sheet and comprises a back wall 7, end wall 8 and sloping bottom9, to the upper end of which is pivotally connected as at 10 a guideplate I 11 which guide plate is adapted to rest against the shield orguard 12, of the tracker mechanism, for guiding the endless sheet intothe receptacle after it leaves the tracker feed mechanism. A flat table13, over which the sheet is adapted to be drawn, is connected to theinstrument casing above the receptacle 6 and is adapted to properlyguide the sheet to the tracker board.

1 During the operation of the instrument and after the sheet passes thetracker feed mechanism it is guided by the plate 11 into the receptaclewhere it is doubled up intoaseries of folds, which folds are constantlyincreasing and partly on account of their weight and partly on accountof their pressure gradually slide down-the inclined bottom to thedelivering end. The bottom is preferably formed of a material havingvery smooth surface which greatly aids the travel of the sheet down itsinclined plane. After the sheet has reached the delivery end of thereceptacle it is then carried over the guide rod 14 mounted therein tothe table 13 and back over the same to the tracker board.

lVhen the receptacle is desired to be removed to obtain free access tothe working parts of the instrument during repairs it is only necessaryto remove the sheet from the table and feed rolls in the usual mannerplace the removed portion on top of the folds and swing the guide platefree of the edge of the frame which supports the tracker feed mechanism.

From the foregoing it may be seen that with a self-playing musicalinstrument equipped with my invention a great saving will be effectedboth in the cost of production and repair of the instrument,- andnumerous other defects may be remedied and overcome. v

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention and therefore I do not wish to be limited tosuch features except as may be required by the claims. V

What I claim is 4 1. A holder for endless music sheets for self playinginstruments, comprising, in combination with a sheet delivery table, atracker bar, and guiding rolls adjacent to said tracker bar, areceptacle adapted to be withdrawn from the back of the instrument andto be supported within the instrument at a point below the plane of thesheet delivery table thereof, said receptacle having a bottom inclineddownwardly from the point of the tracker mechanism of the instrument tothe opposite end of said instrument whereby to permit the sheet folds togravitationally accumulate immediately at the point of discharge of thereceptacle, the receptacle-having an open end adapted to be disposed inline with the sheet guiding rolls of the instrument, and means forming apart of the receptacle and adapted to be disposed beneath said sheetguiding rolls whereby to deflect the sheet onto the inclined bottom ofthe receptacle as the sheet leaves said rolls.

2. A holder for endless tune sheets for self playing instruments,comprising, in combination with a sheet delivery table, a tracker bar,and guiding rolls adjacent to said tracker bar, a receptacle embodyingthree walls, one of said walls being inclined downwardly from the pointof the tracker bar of the instrument to another wall of the receptacle,the other wall of the receptacle being disposed immediately at the lowerend of the inclined wall and forming a stop to limit the fall of thetune sheet thereon as the sheet is discharged from the guiding rolls ofthe instrument, and means within.

the receptacle for guiding the sheet onto the delivery table of theinstrument.

3. A holder for tune sheets for self playing instruments, comprising, incombination with a sheet delivery table, a tracker bar, and guidingrolls adjacent to said tracker bar, a wall inclined downwardly towardone end of the instrument and from the trackerbar, a second walldisposed at the extreme lower end of the first wall, a third wall risingfrom the first wall at one side thereof, the third wall having a lengthequal to the length of said inclined wall, sheet guiding means extendingfrom one of the walls, and a pivoted plate located at the upper end ofthe inclined wall and adapted to extend in the direction of the sheetguiding rolls of the tracker mechanism of the instrument.

' 4. A holder for tune sheets for self playing instruments, comprisingsheet guiding table, sheet guiding rolls and tracker mechanism, areceptacle adapted to be adjusted horizontally through the back of thecasing of the instrument and to contain an endless tune sheet wherebyone leaf of the sheet may be placed over the sheet guiding table of theinstrument on adjustment of the receptacle to an operative sheet feedingposition, the receptacle having an open end adapted to be disposed inline with the sheet guiding rolls of the tracker mechanism of theinstrument.

5. A holder for endless music sheets for auto-pneumatic instrumentscomprising in combination with the tracker feed mechanism, a receptacleadapted to be secured to the instrument and having a wall downwardlyinclined toward one end of the receptacle whereby to permit the sheetfolds to gravitationally accumulate immediately at the point ofdischarge of the receptacle and means within the receptacle for guidingthe sheet to the tracker feed mechanism.

6. A holder for endless music sheets for auto-pneumatic instrumentscomprising in combination with the tracker feed mechanism, a receptacleadapted to be detachably secured to the instrument and having a walldownwardly inclined toward one end of the receptacle whereby to permitthe sheet folds to gravitationally accumulate immediately at the pointof discharge of the receptacle and means within and ocated at both endsof the receptacle for guiding the sheet to the tracker feed mechanism.

7. A holder for endless music sheets for auto-pneumatic instrumentscomprising in combination with the tracker feed mechanism, a receptacleadapted to be detachably secured to the instrument, and having a walldownwardly inclined toward one end of the ceptacle whereby to permit thesheet folds to gravitationally accumulate immediately at the point ofdischarge of the receptacle, and means located at the discharge end ofthe receptacle for guiding the sheet to the tracker feed mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I ELISHA GOODELL THOMAS have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, thisthirteenth day of March, 1912.

ELISHA GOODELL THOMAS.

Witnesses:

I. J. MACFARREN, A. D. PHILLIPS.

copiel o! thil patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

